Comments on: Turnips, check. Cilantro, check. A CSA update.

By: Miami Danny

Miami Danny — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:11:31 +0000

…or when the delivery truck broke down…

By: Miami Danny

Miami Danny — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:10:37 +0000

Hey Paula! The only ’surprise’ is how much tatsoi is in the box!

By: Miami Danny

Miami Danny — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:06:41 +0000

P&D-Stop ganging up on me!!!!! Seriously, my point on food miles was based on the CSA’s own promotion of them. I read the Financial Times piece when it was published, and included the skepticism I have always had, along with the thoughts of a real farmer in my column in MAP Magazine http://www.themapmag.com/MAP_issue03.pdf (page 46) I think it is a mostly meaningless statistic when taken out of context. I guess what I failed to communicate was that once the soft and fuzzy feeling wears off, and one takes a hard look at the box of food, one is less than impressed. Of course you guys are just on the four-week trial-try doing it for twenty weeks. Miss a day? Car broke down? Stuck out of town for work? You just paid a lot of money for nothing. At this point, I would rather go the market and pick out my own stuff.

By: paula

paula — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 17:00:52 +0000

Danny - I think that’s one of the questions everyone asks themselves. The full share is a lot for two people. But I think how much of it you use has a lot to do with what’s in the box. This week’s was great and I foresee us using a lot of its contents sooner than we did last week’s.

Of course it’s nice to be able to pay for what you want to eat, but for some people the surprise element is a fun part of CSA. It’s not for everyone, I suppose. That’s not to say that I don’t ask myself the same question you pose. I guess it works for some and not for others.

I’m still seeing how we do throughout the trial period. Price wise, I guess you also have to look at it as supporting the farms — not simply buying produce.

On your note about food miles, there seems to be a lot of debate about what it means and doesn’t. It seems to me that 150 miles isn’t all that bad. Here’s an interesting post on the subject.

By: D

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:12:57 +0000

Who knows Danny?

After the first week I had the same thoughts. This week’s box however has slightly changed my mind. An alternative if you are willing to go to South Miami and support the same organization is The South Florida Farmerâ€™s Market (featuring produce from Redland Organics, Bee Heaven Farm and other farms) starts Sunday, January 13, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Gardnerâ€™s Market in Pinecrest (SW 124th St & US1).

http://mangoandlime.net/2008/01/11/two-markets-to-try-this-weekend/

the Green Market a little closer to you but it doesn’t run all year.

Getting this box definitely deters me from eating out so much.

By: Miami Danny

Miami Danny — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 05:44:25 +0000

Hey Paula-So apparently we didn’t you use all the food we got, and much of it went to waste. Would you (and me, I’m a member), be better off just buying what WE want to eat at Whole Foods, or a farmers’ market? I’m not sure yet that this CSA is really a good way to get produce, especially considering that most of the box comes from 150 miles away upstate, anyway. My box today was delicious, but hardly worth the $20+ it cost me. I’m not a big fan of tatsoi, but that’s just me.

By: paula

paula — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:03:38 +0000

I saw the shout out. I was thrilled. My cauliflower has for some reason kept well. We actually took stored it in a tupperware, already cut into florets and I’m amazed that it hasn’t gone bad. We were less lucky with the callaloo and the chard, which wilted very quickly. Storing these items is a subject on its own!

By: trina

trina — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:55:20 +0000

I’m glad you’re doing this too. Did you see your shout out in the newsletter? I never got to try your cauliflower recipe. It got brown spots because I left it for too long.